Andy Staples article on “why Florida has fallen behind”

There’s a portion of our fan base on this very message board that, for whatever reason, refuse to hold the boosters and administration responsible for anything and I’d bet good money that portion is above the age of 50

 

Boosters? For what? I'm under 50 by the way and I don't "expect" boosters to throw tons of money at kids if they don't want to. Is what it is and it puts us at a disadvantage but I'm not going to go demand other people spend their money on something like that.

Fault the administration for not maintaining the program and facilities and for a lack of foresight sure.

 

This is another example...there's still a portion of our fan base that wants to blame our current problems on Coach Meyer...that was 13 years ago. If the program hasn't recovered by then it has nothing to do with him at all.

 

What are the other 4 quotes you speak of? Please consolidate for us who aren't following all that closely in the offseason.

 

It’s been quite a comedy show. Can’t remember any other team having so many laughs along the way with cheeseburgers and midlines and shark wrestling.

 

We have had some incredibly bad and bizzare luck.

 

Well, you get what you pay for. Um, what exactly DID you pay for? Otherwise...

Okay, if you think it helps your arguments on this thread. That's not what I said.

 

Foley’s follies
No good coaching stability
If only that shark coulda got a wakeboard a few years earlier. Well if spurrier and stoops had been content

 

The how and why we got to this point is not important now, imho. The here and now is, again imho. Rehashing a rehash of multiple rehashes is no fun.

How many top recruits will sign & play at UF because of the new $85m clubhouse?
Refresh/upgrade of BHGS?
Multiple perceived “cool” alternate uniforms?
etc-etc-etc?

I contend the above numbers are low, really low. Top recruits want to play with other top recruits at a football factory pipeline to the league.

In order to move up UF must bring in much better talent, first and foremost. Easier said than done, no doubt. Right now UF is probably slotted somewhere between Kentucky and USCe, in the lower half of the league, imho. Next year OK & TX roll in, along with a tougher schedule. It’s not gonna get any easier.

 

I hope I am wrong but I have seen enough of Billy. An elite coach wins at least one of the UK, Vandy, FSU, if not more.

Mertz is not the an answer at QB. Billy "failed" the QB position with a first round talent last year, it will be even worse this season.

 

Nearly as old as I. Just responding to the poster above me who suggested that our history and expectations are not equal...these days. Your lively protest makes me chuckle.

 

And then there’s that “portion of our fan base on this very message board” that only post when they want to bitch and hold our new coaching staff responsible for the last 10+ years of mediocrity. Clearly you’re in that group.

You do make a good point regarding age however. While you were obviously trying to be a smartass with that quip, you actually pointed to the absurd sense of entitlement in so many fans who first got on board the Gator football bandwagon in the 90s when UF was on top of the college football world. These fans don’t appreciate success, they expect it and demand it and unload on everybody associated with the program when their demands aren’t met. You’re a poster child for that group too.

 

We clearly have no interest in a bidding war with Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas A&M. It hasn’t happened yet and does not look like it’s going to happen.

 

Bitching about somebody else not spending their millions of dollars? I wish we had boosters spending the millions also but I’m not gonna pour fingers at somebody for spending their money.

 

Thank God, you are not in charge of anything.

 

There are no limits for the stupidity that litters this message board

 

Here-in lies one of our biggest issues of our last 15 years. UF used to develop great NFL talent, even well before Spurrier arrived. From at least the early 80s through the Meyer era, Florida was notorious for developing great NFL talent. Not just guys getting drafted but players who became in the NFL on both sides of the ball.

Since then, which is basically the entire era where kids being recruited now grew up, how many star players has UF produced? It's not many. We've had several guys drafted, but how many even became multi year starters? How many starters in the NFL in the last decade have been Gators? That's what these kids are looking at, which is how programs are going to develop them into NFL stars. They don't really care as much about winning championships.

People here have complained for years that we don't attract elite RBs. Well who was the last NFL star running back from UF? I believe it was Fred Taylor who played here in 1997. Pierce may become another. In that time, how many star running backs has UGA developed, even before Smart? How about FSU, LSU and Bama.

This is where the program has failed. We've developed a few good defensive players and kickers but very few on offense. It's partly due to coaching changes and bad coaching decisions. There are all kinds of reasons and excuses. I don't believe facilities is anywhere near the top of that list.

Developing the talent we have to be NFL ready is the single most important thing that needs to be fixed with the program. Develop the players that come here and kids will want to play for the Gators again.

 

Obviously not well received (as expected). I'd just like to ask how you can justify such sweeping, absolutely definitive statements based on Year 1 of a complete rebuild? Do you think the cupboard was stocked like it was for Coach Spurrier and even more for Meyer? Do you completely discount the improved recruiting? Interested in hearing your thinking . . .